Dmc: Dante's Deception
by Ally Futuras
Summary: He could do only so much to keep the young woman safe. Dante felt that he was in debt to her for what she had done. One way or another he would repay her. *Totally AU*
1. Chapter 1

He was acting different, obsessed. Kat didn't know what was wrong. He would come to her at any time of the day and ask for her wiccan books and tools. She thought he was probably just going to put them in a secure place, she always used them and maybe he just wanted her to stop and relax, away from her books. Not exactly anything extremely strange or different.

So, of course, she never denied him. After all, there seemed to be a spark between the two. She never denied his small requests.

While she slept, Dante was usually in their ruined and torn living room, fidgeting with his weapon's and pulling all nighters with her books.

She'd never admit it but yes, she was glad that the young hunter took interest in her books and seemed to actually care about the information in them. It was a bit strange at first. Dante never took interest before yet she saw it with her own two eyes. Every night she would witness as he dove into the words in an almost hypnotic state.

It all seemed like an innocent game until she tried to pry a book away from his eye's and he instantly pulled the book away from her hands and back into his. Not a trace of emotion on his face. He seemed to be more machine than he was man at that point.

Dante was changing. For better or for worse, Kat wasn't sure.

He told her many times that he would keep her safe and once he even told her he would die protecting his loved ones.

He'd die protecting _her._

His eye's were bloodshot, he hadn't been sleeping or eating very well. His only companions were a bottle of booze, his weapon's and her books. She stayed away from him most of the time. She had grown afraid. He'd almost slammed her into the wall when she tried making him sleep, her small figure being crushed by his strength.

She wanted to leave.

Kat had planned on leaving during the night, on one of the rare nights while Dante was asleep. She packed a bag and was ready to go. Slowly, she walked into the living room of their small apartment, the stench of alcohol filled her nostrils, she had gotten to the door when she heard the shuffling of a coat.

"Where are you going?", Dante asked, pulling off his coat as he made himself more comfortable to sleep. Noticing the faint outline of a bag hidden behind her, and seeing Kat's hand far too close to the doorknob, he stood up and walked toward her.

She held onto the strap of her bag tighter, her knuckles turned white from the force and her nails dug into her flesh. "D-Dante...", her voice barely audible, "I-I'm going out for a walk," she lied.

"Why do you even try?"Dante shook his head and a slight smile formed on his face but disappeared just as quickly, "I know what your doing, Kat."

She was afraid of him. Kat didn't want to leave. She knew it would tear him to pieces and it was a risk going out on her own. But she had no other choice. She _had_ to leave for her own well being.

"Dante-"

"Kat, please just stay," he pleaded. He walked toward her until she was now flat against the wall, his body crushing her small form. "Don't be scared," he whispered, choking back a sob, "I'm fine."

The young woman looked up at him with a puzzled look. Kat bit her lip and shook her head. "You're not fine," she was able to say. "You've changed."

"I've only changed for the better. Please just trust me," he tugged lightly on her sweater.

She believed him. Of course she would. Always. So she stayed, she couldn't leave him, not like this. But all the cells in her body were begging her to leave, to try again another night. Yet she refused to listen.

Kat retired into her bedroom for the night. She laid in bed for hour's just thinking about what she was going to do. Dante was in the living room cleaning his pistol's and reading through her books. Again. He wouldn't try to sleep again at all. She knew him well. He wouldn't risk having her slip out while he lay asleep.

The light drizzle of rain outside kept her company, Kat noticed the light raindrops that splashed against her window. If only she felt the same sense of calm from such weather as she did once before. Kat heard a knock come from her door and a voice not soon after.

"Kat, I'm gonna head on out. Don't wait up for me," his deep voice rang through her eardrums. There was no feeling, no emotion in his words.

He'd only spoken to her because of their earlier problem. The only reason why Dante even bothered in telling her he was leaving was because he wanted Kat to know, to believe she was in control. To let her know that he was okay and nothing was going on. A disguise which he thought he played very well. But Kat knew better.

She let him leave and turned her head toward the window once more, her hair slightly sprawled against the pillow. She brought the blanket up higher to her chest and curled up, keeping her warmth with her as the cold dawn air made it's way into the apartment.

Later that morning, Kat woke up to a much more plush bed and a softer blanket over her body. She sat up slowly, her head spinning a bit as she yawned away the sleep. What a terrible way to have spent the night. Yet what a terrible thing to have to face this morning. She dreaded having to confront Dante.

But then again, she didn't think she'd have to after all.

"W-What?" she looked around the room. This was not her room, it wasn't the crummy apartment she had been sleeping in last few nights. It was her old bedroom in her old home in which she shared with her foster father.

"Oh, no," Kat shivered, "I-It can't be."

But it was. Drawings and sketches covered the wall's that were a dark shade of green underneath. Her old drawings.

Looking around, Kat noticed all her old furniture, her desk and wardrobe, each on a different side of the room. A few notebooks and pencils scattered loosely across her desk having shown recent use. Her door, a white masterpiece with different designs carved and painted into the wood. It would have been a nice sight to see if not for all the locks and chains she was forced to put on it. Next to her desk was her short bookshelf with only a few books, a faded photograph and small antiques and trinkets she had been able to collect through the years.

Her only place of sanctuary while in the grasp of her foster father.

Kat was back in the darkness, she was living in her nightmare once more and had nowhere to go. She's back in the prison she'd once called her home and no way out.


	2. Chapter 2

She stayed in bed for hour's after that. She didn't dare take a step out of her bedroom. The morning sun rose high into the sky. Kat couldn't help but wonder why nothing had happened yet. Still, she wouldn't move an inch from her place.

Her foster father hadn't come up to her room, yanking and pulling at her hair so she'd get up. He didn't scream or yell for her to come downstairs like he had done countless of times before.

Where was he?

Kat slowly stood from her bed, making it creak lightly as she moved delicately. She felt a strange sensation against her skin, soft, smooth silk was wrapped around her frame as her fingers traveled across her nightgown. This was all so strange yet extremely familiar to her. Such nice delicacies even that of a simple smooth nightgown had never been a part of her life before. Yet it felt so right all the same.

Shaking the thoughts away, Kat slowly went to her door. It was unlocked. She'd never leave it unlocked. Not one of her various locks were hinged or set.

She muscled up the courage to peek her head out the door. The hallway was strangely quiet. It was peaceful. Kat dared to walk toward her foster father's bedroom door and noticed it was widely open. She walked over and noticed the corner of a brown desk. Her foster father never had anything but his bed inside his bedroom.

The young woman reached the side of the doorframe and looked inside the room. It was practically empty. It had only the one desk with a few other books on top of it, and a small couch in the corner.

"W-What?", she was speechless. Her foster father's room was empty. It was as if he didn't even exist in her life at all.

"Kat!" a male's voice called from outside her front door.

 _Dante?_ Kat couldn't help but wonder if it was her dear friend. No, this man's voice was much too different, but she couldn't help but hope that it truly was the hunter.

She ran down the stairs quickly, her hair jumped with every step she took. Her whole house was much different. It had a warm vibe within it which Kat welcomed cautiously.

Kat managed to get to the door without slipping and practically ripped it open. She was met with blindness from the bright sun that shone through the doorway.

"Kat, what took you so long?" she heard. The young woman shook her head slightly and recovered from the brightness. In front of her, a man no older than herself, although he was about a head taller. He had short brown hair, sandy eyes and a large smile on his face. He must be a friend. Or at least that's what she thought.

"Why aren't you dressed?" he asked, "It's practically mid-day." The stranger let himself into her house and closed the door behind him. He wore a gray hoodie and a backpack slung over his shoulders. Who did he think he was coming into her home like that. "Boss isn't going to like that you're late." he started toward the stairs.

Kat stood her ground. Who was this man? Why was he in her house?

She muscled up all the courage within her and spoke, "I-I'm sorry, what are you doing? Who are you?" her face stern and her arm's folded over her chest. She at least had tried her best to seem as menacing as she could.

The man turned back and looked at her with a puzzled look. They didn't have time for games. "What do you mean?" he chuckled lightly, "Is this a joke?"

But Kat made no attempt to move, her face was serious as she looked the stranger up and down.

"It's me, it's Mikey," he walked toward her slowly. Mikey was more than confused, "Everything alright, Kat?"

The young woman's mind went fuzzy. She did know this man yet she had never at all had met him in her life. She recalled taking classes alongside him and other times where they spent time together but nothing more than just a drizzle of who this man was.

"Mikey, yeah," she feigned knowing who he was, "you're um... a friend?"

Lying wasn't on of her best talents. Kat would need to work on that much later but for now she had to just try to keep her head together.

"Look, I'll call Lawrence and tell him your out sick, he should understand." Mikey proceeded to take out his phone and dial a number.

Kat felt that she knew this man from somewhere, from before any of this mess even happened. She somehow knew she could trust him. Mikey, the name somehow felt extremely familiar.

He hung up and Kat was still in her daze. "Hey, Kat. You okay?" he reached over to comfort her, an arm on her shoulder.

The young woman didn't pull back, she looked up at him. "Mikey. I know you from before this, from _years_ ago, don't I?" she didn't care if she sounded insane, Kat needed answers, she wanted answers and she would get them.

"Yeah, you're really not okay," he tried nudging her toward the stairs and Kat, strangely as it seemed, did as she was motioned to and started walking, albeit very slowly. "Did you hit your head or something? Maybe you had a rough night yesterday?"

"Mikey!" she shook her hands in front of her as they reached the steps, she tried her best not to become hysterical but it was much easier said than done, "How long have I known you exactly?", she asked, exasperated.

He seemed to understand her urgency, "I-I don't know? Since like high school?" Mikey shrugged, "But we never really spoke back then. Should I take you to see a doctor?"

Of course, Kat was certain she had known him from before. They never spoke much in school, only a few waves during lunch or the occasional small talk during class, but that was it. She didn't even have him for more than 2 classes and she remembered it well. History and Sociology.

Hopefully he wouldn't freak out if she tried to explain her problem to him. It seemed like they were really good friends.

"Mikey," she held him by his arms, "If I tell you the truth, promise not to think I'm crazy? And even if you do think I'm crazy, can you at least help me?" she tried her best to sound sane and reasonable.

Mikey nodded, his brows furrowed and his golden eye's looked her over, "Of course I'd help you. I know for sure you'd never lie though."

Kat let out a shakey breath. Show time.

"I-I can't remember my life, you need to help me remember my life," she said. It was the only way she knew how to say the truth. "Where's my foster father, Mikey? How did we ever become friends after high school? Who am I?"

Sanity just went out the window.

"Kat, Kat, Kat. Did you... don't tell me you went into your, uhh your other world."

Other world?

"It's been years since you told me you've been there. Kat?" Mikey ran a hand through his hair and began to walk aimlessly around her.

Her face displayed confusion. Did he know about Limbo? She seriously needed answers and she needed them soon.

She stepped back, "What do you mean by _other world_ exactly?"

Mikeysighed. He stopped in his tracks and looked up to the young woman, "You did, didn't you? Limbo, Kat."

The young woman eyed him curiously. How did he know about this? Had she trusted him so much that she told him about Limbo?

Mikey sighed once more, a bit more irritated than before. He was worried for her.

"How do you know about Limbo?" the young woman asked him once more, sternness in her voice.

He scoffed before running a hand through his extremely short hair once again and rubbing his temples. Mikey let out a very long breath and tried his best to stay calm and composed himself.

"Let's get you dressed first. And maybe some breakfast," he sighed before pushing her back up the stairs and toward her room.

Kat dressed quickly. She found elegant looking clothes which she thought were beautiful. But Kat still loved the simple things in life. She found a more comfortable set of clothes which she was far more comfortable with. A dark blue pullover hoodie and shorts which she found deep inside her closet and changed into that.

"Where are my boots?" she asked herself while coming out from her restroom and back into her bedroom.

Mikey was laying on her bed and on his phone while waiting for her to finish getting ready. Kat was acting strange but he wouldn't push anything.

After having found her boots, Kat slid them on her feet and grabbed a bag which sat on the chair just beside her bedroom door.

She began to look through it. Nothing unusual, a phone, wallet, gum wrappers, even makeup. This was not what she usually carried around, at least not in her reality.

"You ready? Let's get some breakfast to help clear your head, my treat," Mikey said as he stood up and started out of Kat's bedroom.

The young woman grabbed her bag and followed right behind him.

They walked for a few minutes, Mikey trying to get her to speak but Kat was beyond confused. She was stuck in her head, trying to make sense of everything. She couldn't place her finger on it exactly but surrounding her she felt a strong aura. Good or bad, she had yet to figure that out.

"Kat," the man snapped his fingers in front of her face.

She shook her head out of her thoughts and looked at Mikey who sat in front of her. They were at a nearby donut shop. Apparently the young witch had zoned out the whole walk and only now noticed where they were at the moment.

"Sorry," she said quietly, still in her own thoughts.

"Alright," Mikey began, a cup of coffee sitting in front of him, "Start talking."

Kat sighed and fiddled with her own drink before finally answering, looking around at the slightly empty shop before continuing, "Everything is different here. I don't have my wiccan charms or ingredients," she said honestly.

Mikey nodded and told her to continue.

"My foster father is dead, I know that much. I also know now that this isn't my world," she tried to explain slowly.

The young man gave her a quizzical look. He knew that she owned and read through wiccan books and the sort as well as practicing such things but Kat had never told him of the actual things that could happen or were happening as she did them.

"My conclusion," Kat continued, "Is that, don't think I'm crazy, Mikey, but-"

"But you think someone is fucking around with realities," Mikey finished for her.

The young witch thought for a moment. She then nodded, "Yes, altering time and possibly even jumping through dimensions."

Mikey massaged his head and rubbed at his eyes. The donut shop was quite empty for that time in the morning. He did his best to take in all the information she gave him so suddenly and understand it as well as he could.

Altering time? Jumping dimensions? Mikey then realized, he'd heard much more unbelievable things in his time so this wasn't so far fetched.

"Alright, but, I mean, is that even possible? You can make potions and spells to jump through time and space, Kat? That's a bit much don't you think? Even for you."

She nodded, her eyebrows raised as she tried to explain all this to her friend, "If you bring in various other components, yes it may actually be possible although difficult but very possible. In my reality, I helped fight against the demons-"

Wait.

Something outside the shop suddenly caught her eye.

Red.

The young woman stood up quickly without a second thought and made her way toward the door. Mikey took a last sip from his coffee before following suit. Kat was far from finished with her explanation.

 _"It can't be,"_ Kat thought to herself.

The young woman stood at the doorway, she pulled the shop door open and looked all around. Kat could have sworn she saw the sleeve of his jacket. _His_ jacket. But it couldn't have been, could it?

"You alright?" Mikey's voice suddenly brought her back. The young man set his hand on her shoulder. He then brought her back into the shop. Kat slowly made her way back to their table and sat down.

"I'm sorry, I thought I saw something," she explained.

"Kat," the young man began to speak, "You said you helped fight demons in your- in your reality," Mikey had to whisper as another person passed by their table and sat quite close.

The woman nodded, "I'll explain it all to you. But for now, let's get out of here," she told him.

Mikey agreed and they left the small donut shop. There was much that needed to be explained and solved.


	3. Chapter 3

"You destroyed the rifts, killed the demon king, and befriended half angel half demon twin brothers," Mikey spoke slowly, making sure he'd heard correctly.

He and Kat were now at an old park. They sat at one of the benches nearby the sand. Mikey kept running his hand through his very short hair and walked back and forth in front of Kat. The young woman nodded as she proceeded to explain. Both Mikey and herself had a large amount of explaining they both had to do.

"I helped, yes, but that's the only good that came from my own reality. We beat the demons," she answered.

A few children played nearby on the swing set and chased one another endlessly. All of them oblivious to the conversation taking place just a mere few feet away.

"And your father- Uh, foster father," he quickly corrected himself, "he didn't die the way he did here?"

"No."

"You were the one who-"

"Mikey, yes but that isn't the point," Kat immediately cut him off and rubbed her temples. She tried her best to be patient but this boy was seriously pushing her buttons. The young woman sighed and shook her head. She turned and watched as the few children on the playground soon leave alongside their parents.

"Alright, so how do we fix this? Just get you some ingredients, let you do your thing and we're back to normal, right?" Mikey asked, he finally stopped walking all around and plopped down beside his friend.

The young woman shook her head, "I don't have my books. I need to get my ingredients and books to make a spell. It could take weeks. All of it depends on the complexity of the spell. In this case it's extremley complex, I'm not even fully sure if I can do it or not but I'll still try," she explained.

Mikey thought for a moment before nodding and standing up once again. He stretched a little and let out a long kept breath before motioning for her to stand as well. "Well then, what are we waiting for?" he smirked.

Kat chuckled and took his arm as they began to walk from the park. She then stopped once she saw who sat on the bench right across the playground.

"Dante," she whispered.

The woman let go of her friends arm and began walking across the playground, her strides were long and quick. Mikey walked briskly behind her, catching up quickly.

"Dante!" she yelled.

He seemed to hear her and immediately stood up. His hair a terrible mess, his clothes tattered and filthy, the young man kept his head low as he immediately made his way out of the park.

Mikey caught up to Kat soon enough and jerked her to a halt as he grabbed her arm. The woman quickly pushed him off, a bit more vigorously than intended but when she looked back to where he sat, Dante was gone.

She rubbed her eyes and looked all around.

"Kat, what was that? Talk to me," Mikey begged her as he noticed his friend looking around frantically.

"It's him," Kat's voice was faint at first but quickly rose, "I just know it was him. He was right there! Goddammit, Mikey!" she cursed before storming off.

It was incredibly important they begin prepping and aquire the tools and ingredients Kat would need to fix what was done. It took them an hour just to find a suitable shop that sold the majority of ingredients Kat would need, and the many books she also needed. The pair agreed that they would need to talk further and Kat would keep from such sudden outbursts in the future.

"So many books for such a young lady?" the shopkeeper, a friendly old man, asked as he noticed the books Mikey was carrying for Kat.

The young woman was still searching through the shelves for more books. Her face was stern as she continued to look for one last book. She paid little to no attention to anyone or anything around her. Her mission was simple and she would not be distracted.

"Yes, and those ingredients on the table I've picked out," she answered loosely.

She stood on her toes to grab the last book she needed and added it to the stack Mikey was carrying. The young man followed her through the small shop and finally set it all down as they finished and were about to pay.

"School project?" the shopkeeper asked with a smile as Kat looked through her wallet to grab the right amount of money.

Kat ignored him, she was far too preoccupied with more important things and so the shopkeeper directed his question to Mikey.

"Uhh," the young man scratched his face, "We're gonna save the world," he said silently, a sloppy grin on his face before looking away.

"Mike," Kat sighed, her eyes finally looking up as she acknowledged her friend, "I need some cash."

The shopkeeper decided to stop asking questions, much to the duos amusement.

After practically pulling out loose change and tons of single bills, the two were able to waste what little money they had on the books and ingredients. Mikey would say it was a waste of money but he was in no position to do so and Kat seemed to grow impatient very quickly lately.

Once outside her house, Kat told Mikey to drop everything off inside. She would go take a short walk just to clear her head. She wouldn't take long and Mikey of course would be waiting for her to return.

What the young woman didn't expect was to find a certain person while on her walk.

"Dante," she said sternly, her hands now balled into fists.


	4. Chapter 4

They stood in an alley a few streets away from Kat's own home. Neither of them daring to make a move. She had finally caught up with the man and had him cornered. Night was arriving quickly as the streets became empty. A chilly breeze started to pick up as winter neared closer.

The hunter looked different. His face much more pale, his eyes still soft but his entire face menacing and detached. Kat didn't like it one bit. This was not the man she had fought alongside. This was not Dante.

"Kat," he breathed out while cracking the muscles in his neck, "You look real good," he said in an exhale.

She took a step forward, her boots squishing underneath the faint puddles of water in the mud. The alley which they were in seemed far darker now than just moments before, the cold night breeze blew swiftly through Kat's hair making her skin crawl.

"You did this. Dante, you did this," she confronted him, "How could you?"

The young man chuckled softly, his voice was deep and rumbled smoothly. His hair had grown slightly longer, now covering the faint line of his eyelids. Dante didn't bother in moving it aside. He let that mop of hair stick up and fall in awkward angles

He exhaled slowly, "I killed him for you, Kat. Your foster father, you were supposed to kill him after meeting Vergil. But I killed him for you," Dante explained, a light smile spread across his lips, "So you wouldn't have to go through the pain of meeting Vergil or me."

Of course. That's what Dante had been up to. All those late night study sessions with her own books and journals. The witch should have been more careful. But it seemed that now was not the time to wallow in self pity. She couldn't let her friend fall into such darkness.

"Yes, but at what cost, Dante? Everyone else will suffer now," she tried to explain to him.

It was true. Kat was saved from her foster father, but who would save the humans from the demons? Dante was of no state to go around helping people. He was different now.

"I just want to keep you safe," he whispered, "Keep only _you_ safe, Kat. I want to stay out of your life. For good."

Dante only brought ruin and destruction. He couldn't do that. Not to her. His only good thing in life. Kat had saved him from himself, from throwing his life away on his daily dose of booze and women. He had to repay her somehow. Even after Vergil had gone, it wasn't as though their lives were any better.

He was sure this would be the only way. He refused any other alternative. They all ended in disaster anyway. If keeping the woman safe meant suffering, then so be it.

"Dante," the young witches voice was soft, "come home with me. We can fix this together."

Even in the dim moonlight, his pale skin seemed to have an infected tinge to it. His hair having become completely radiant white, the hunter shook his head.

"There's nothing to fix," he rumbled, "Goodbye, Kat."

The witch took another step forward. a few feet away from the hunter, she wanted to save him. Talk some sense into him and help her dear friend. But even in his present state, Dante was far quicker than her. Before she could reach him, Dante had jerked out of her way and bolted in the opposite direction, fleeing from Kat.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath.

Kat needed to make things right again. She had no idea how she would do it but she needed to start somewhere.


End file.
